Alex Murphy, spokesman for Iowa DNR, told the Des Moines Register on Monday that the deer tested negative for chronic wasting disease — a neurological disease that attacks the brain of deer, elk and moose, making holes that resemble those in sponges.

Murphy didn't disclose any other information other than the deer's negative test result.

The deer's killing gained traction online when one eyewitness, John Baumann, posted video and photos on Facebook. He acknowledged to the Register last month that while the deer appeared to be acting strange as it was found lying in a parking lot and wasn't jittery when approached, he didn't think it posed any threat to public safety. He thought police "grossly mishandled" the situation.

"They could have driven that deer back into the woods," Baumann said. "They confronted it."

Terry Handfield, wildlife biologist and Iowa DNR's coordinator for monitoring efforts toward chronic wasting disease, said additional tests will not be conducted on the deer. He said the agency trusts Marion Police's judgement.

"We always, in urban situations like that, yield to whatever police department is in charge of the areas," he said. " ... We're committed to make sure we have a safe deer population in Iowa. When you get into urban situations, it can create problems."

Handfield added that while "people's intentions are really good" in situations like this, "we have to think of the larger population than the one deer."

Chronic wasting disease spreads through nose-to-nose contact between animals and through environmental contamination from urine, feces and saliva left by positive deer. Since 2013, Iowa DNR says, there have been 28 positive tests for chronic wasting disease: Allamakee County (25), Clayton County (2) and most recently in Wayne County (1).

A deadly disease known as Chronic Wasting Disease or CWD in Deer has been confirmed in Clayton County. The second county in Iowa to have a recorded case. The DNR called a special hunting season to collect more samples. A move not all agree with.
Brian Powers/ The Register